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Dog Bites Fatherless Boy
October 25, 2006 permalink
Notice where the article below mentions the stepfather of the boy bitten by the dog? The real father, Chris McCallum, has been unsuccessfully battling the social services system for custody of his son and taking his case public on the internet. He found out about the attack on his son by reading it in the newspaper four days later.
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Dog attacks child, bites head, scalp; Boy, 5, in hospital recovering from serious injuries
Local News - A five-year-old Nairn Centre boy is recovering in hospital after part of his scalp was torn away in a dog attack.
The boy was apparently playing indoors on Saturday with the Rottweiler/collie mixed dog when he was bitten.
In a release, police said the dog suddenly grabbed the boy by the top of the head and bit him on the face and head. The boy's stepfather told The Sudbury Star the boy was only walking past the dog and he didn't understand why the dog turned on the child.
Espanola OPP and paramedics arrived at the home around 6:20 p.m. and brought the boy to the Espanola Hospital.
Police said the boy's injuries were serious, but not life-threatening and he was transferred to St. Joseph's Health Centre in Sudbury.
The father, who didn't want to be identified, said the family brought the four-year-old dog home that day. The former owner didn't have room for the dog and the family decided to take it in, he said. The dog was removed from the home by animal control and will be quarantined for 10 days to check for rabies. At the request of the owner, the dog will be euthanized.
The Sudbury and District Health Unit said it receives hundreds of dog-bite reports each year. The dogs are from different breeds, "not any one particular breed stands out," said Bob Moulton, environmental support officer with the health unit.
Moulton said he couldn't speak specifically about the Nairn Centre incident, but explained the procedure officials follow when responding to dog bites.
In the event of a bite, health unit officials attend the home or location of the bite and investigate.
The animal is placed in isolation for 10 days to see whether it has rabies. Moulton said it's up to the owner to decide where to quarantine the dog, either at a kennel or at the home.
The animal owner also decides whether to euthanize the dog after the quarantine time period.
Source: Sudbury Star
